Means for filtering air and producing ozone.



APPLICATION FILED `TUNE 26, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

S. G. SHAFFNER & S. T. HUTTON.

MEANS POP. PILTBRING AIR AND PRODUGING OZONE.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 26, 1909.

977,336. Patented N0v.29, 1910.

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MEANS PoR HLTBRING AIR AND PRODUGING ozoNE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI'. 26. 1909.

977,336. Y Patented N0v.29, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WQ'MQ/ y m S. C. SHAFFNER & S. T. HUTTN. MEANS PoR HLTERING AIR ANDPRODUGING OZONE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI-.126, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.y

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SAMUEL C. SHAFFNER AND SAMUEL T. HUTTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORSTO NATIONAL AIR FILTER COMPANY, OF

ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MEANS FOR FILTERING AIR ANDPRODUCING OZONE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL C. SHAFF- NER and SAMUEL T. HU'r'roN,citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook` and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Means for Filtering Air and Producing Ozone, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and eXact description, referencebeing had `to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

Our invention relates to an improved means for purifying air by means ofelectrical discharges.

By our invention, the mechanism used to producethe condition ofelectrical stress required to eifectively ozonize the air and removefromit particles of dust, dirt and impurities, is arranged so that the airto be treated passes through such mechanism with the least amount ofresistance consistent with the thorough treatment of the same, and alsothat the apparatus is effective in producing a maximum result for aminimum amount of space occupied by suoli apparatus.

Itis a further object of our invention to construct the electrodes usedto produce the electrical discharges in such a manner that they may bereadily placed in operative position in the machine and that they may beremoved therefrom with facility to permit cleaning them. Ourconstruction' contemplates the arrangement of these electrodes in such amanner that a given size machine may be used with varying numbers ofelec: trodes, which electrodes may be placed in the machine in anydesired number' necessary to produce the result required. In this way,machines of varying capacity may be made which are composed of standardparts, all of which are alike, and furthermore the only diiference inelectrode arrangement is the use of a greater number of electrodes forthe larger -size machines:

Our invention further contemplates the use of means to cause the flow ofair through the machine, consisting in a fan adapted to coperate with-apart of the casing of the .50.

machine in such a way that the air must pass through the fan and isdrawn into the bottom of the machine and forced upward and out throughthe top of the machine, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 191@ 'Application filed June 26, 1909. Serial No.504,416.

construction of which necessitates the passage of the air between theelectrodes.

The several drawings illustrating our invention are as follows:

Figure l is a side view' of the machine complete; Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 3'; Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 taken along theline 3-3; Fig. 4f is a detail view of a connector used to make contactwith the llectrodes; Fig. 5 is a top View of one of the condenserelectrodes; Fig. G is a side view of the electrode shown in Fig. 5;Figs. 7 and 8 are detail sectional views showing the construction oflvertical sectionalv view of a modified form of apparat-us; Fig. 11 is aside view' of a combined purifying machine and electric lamp, in whichthe lamp serves the double purpose of illumination and assisting in thecirculation of the air through the machine; Fig.l l12 shows a modifiedarrangement of machine adapted .for supplying purified air to localitiesat a distance from the machine; Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic viewshowingthe circuit arrangement employed for conditions in which it isdesirable to use only brush electrodes.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a base l is employed, which has formed onits upper face projecting ridges 4.---4 to-engage the casing 5 andretain it in place. The casing 5 may be of any desired material, but wehave found sheet metal to be particularly adapted for this use. Thecasing 5 is secured to the base in any desirable way, not shown. At-theupper end of the casing 5 a perforated band 6 is mounted, the upper endof such band being closed by a top plate 7. The base l has formed at itsrigl'it hand end, as shown in Fig. 2, a passage 8, open at the bottomand at the left hand side for supplying air through the bottom of thebase into the inside of the machine The opening 9 in the left hand sideof the passageway 8 is circular and slightly larger inA diameter thanthe fan 10 secured to the shaft of the motor 11 and disposed in theopening 9. The motor 11, which may be a motor generator in case thecurrent supplied is direct, or an alternating current motor in case thecurrent supplied is alternating, rests upon an insulating plate 12,which in turn rests upon a plate 13 of deadening material supported bythe base 1. The base 1 also supports a framework 14 adapted to carryjust above the motor 11 a transformer ]5, and above the transformer 15at'the upper end of such framework are disposed the several electrodes16 and 17. These elec-- trodes are supported by insulating blocks 18secured to the upper end of the framework 15, which blocks 18 carryterminal clips 19 and 20 conformed as indicated in Fig. 4, so that aplurality of spring tongues 19a project. upwardly from the body portionof the clip.` The blocks 18 have formed in their upper edges a pluralityof slots adapted to receive 1n vertical arrangementl the elec-V 'Figs 5and 6, but projects beyond the right hand end of the strips 16 and .isfolded, as shown at 16C, to form a terminal adapted to engage one of thespring tongues 19a. The strip 16 is cemented to each of the strips 16a,and thus the elements of the electrode are securely held together.

Each of the electrodes 17 consists in a body portion 17a of fibrousmaterial, through which a plurality of metallic wires 17b are passed.I'n the electrode shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the wires 17h are Ulshaped andpass through the body portion 17 a so that the two ends are exposedwhile the central portion of each strip 17b is in engagement with ametallic backing plate 17c formed around the edges of the body portion17?, as indicated. In order to insure good contact be-K tween theU-shaped conductors 17b and the metallic back plate 17, use may be madeof a layer of nel-y divided metal 17d ap lied in the form of a paste tothe lback o the body portion 17". The backing plate 17c may then beapplied, or before applying such plate a thin strip 17e of metal foilmay be placed over the paste, after which the backing plate 17 c issecured around the body portion 17 as before. This results in a veryeffective connection between the wire terminals 17d and the backingplate 17C. The ends of all of the backing plates 17c are in engagementwith the spring tongues formed on the terminal 2O and are thuseffectively connected by means of wire 21 to one terminal of thesecondary winding of the transfourmer. The other terminal of thesecondary winding of the transformer is connected by wire 22 with theterminal 19. It

is to be noted that the electrodes 17 are arranged in pairs, back toback, as a result of which each spring tongue of the terminal 20 isconnected to two of such electrodes except the one at the back of themachine,

which, since itis an outside electrode, conthey .may be omitted withoutinterferingV with the operation of the remaining electrodes, and theirplace may be filled either by means of dummy blocks or a diaphragm 23may be employed having an opening corresponding in size to the number ofelec# trodes used.

The primary winding 24 of the trans-- former is divided into a pluralityof ,sec-

tions, vconnected as indicated in Fig. y9, to the contacts of theregulating switch 25. One terminal/of the winding 24- is permanentlyconnected by wire 26 with onel brush of the generating portion of themotor-generator, while the other brush of the generator portion of:the-motor generator is connected by wire 27 with the switch 25. In the.Y

arrangement shown in Fig. 9, the current supply is assumed to bedirectand to be communicated by conductors 28 and 29 with the commutato'r 30of the motor generator. l

The secondary winding 31 is connected by wires 21 and 22 as describedabove. By

means of the arrangement indicated in Fig.

9, varying potentials may be produced between the conductors 21 and 22.The switch 25 1s operated by means of a knob 32, located outslde of thecasing 5, which removably engages the switch 25 in the manner indicated1n Fig. 2, in order that the knob may' be removed when it is desired toremove the casing 5 from the base 1.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The motor 11 is started, andthel switch 25 is adjusted to produce the desired potential between theelectrodes 16 and 17. The rotation of the fan 10 draws air into thepassageway 8 through the screen 33 from between the feet of the .base 1.

entering the inside of the machine through 133 killed and the particlesof dust and dirt are removed, the air passes upward through the openingin the diaphragm 23 and out through the perforated band`6. Ozone isproduced in considerable quantity by means of the electrodes 16 Vand 17,and passes out with the purified air. As is well known, ozone is a verybeneficial agent in stimulating animal activity, and is particularlyvaluable asa means for eliminating disease tendencies in human beings aswell asinvigorating and increasing their normal activities. v `Theeffect of the electrical zones upon the particles of dust is to projectthem against the electrodes, particularlyagainst the electrodes 16, andalthough the larger particles of dust are prevented from entering themachine by the screen 33, the small particles of dust are collected inconsiderA able quantity upon the electrodes, which are removed from timeto time for cleaning purposes.

It is important, in operating the machine, that the potential upon theelectrodes be 'kept at a point somewhat below that ne cessitated toproduce a disruptive discharge. If a disruptive discharge is produced,the tendency is to form nitrous oxids by the chemical combination of thenitrogen and oxygen of the air, and these oxids are very in]urious tothe health, constituting, as they do, oisonous compounds. The conditionof ldiscliarge that is desirable to be maintained is. what may be calledstatic discharge of such a nature as to -be inappreciable except for theslight luminosity attending its production. It is therefore advisable toreduce the intensity of discharge t0 as low a point as consistent withthe roper treatment of the air that is passed t rough the machine. Ourconstruction facilitates this operation in that the air is forced totake' a number of parallel paths in assin between the differentelectrodes, an furt ermore that a field of discharge of considerableextent is produced in each path, as a result of which the air is bronhtinto thorough contact with the electrical fgield and is renderedthorou hly aseptic, and at the same time is freed rom the dust and dirtcontained in it and is supplied with ozone in sufficient quantities torender it invi orating and stimulating. The extent of the field producedby the electrodes 16 and 17 may be increased by removing the dia hragm23 and the electrodes 16 and 17, an inserting in place of suchelectrodes Wider electrodes, as indicated by the dotted line 16, afterwhich the diaphragm 23 is replaced on top of such electrodes.

In the modification shown in Fig. 10, the base 34 has formed centrallythereon a compartment by means of an annular flange This compartment isadapted to receive the transformer 15, which is connected and\op cratesin substantially t-he manner described in connection with theconstruction shown in Figs. 2and 3. A horizontal insulating partition ordiaphragm 36 rests upon the flange 35, and serves to cover thetransformer receptacle and to support the electrodes '16 and 17 by'meausof the insulating blocks 37. The arrangement of the electrodes 16 and 17relatively to each other and their connection to the terminals of thesecondary circuit of the transformer 15 is similar to that alreadydescribed above. The construction of the `electrodes 16 and 17 is also.similar to the construct-ion shown and described forsuch electrodes inFigs. 5 to 8, inclusive. On to of the insulating bars 37 andover the eectrodes 16 and 17 an insulating diaphragm 23 is placed having anopening therein, as already described, to limit the air passing upwardthrough the machine to that which passes between the electrodes 16 and17. The diaphragm 36 supports two electric lam s y38 in tubes 39extending upward from anges formed on the base around openings 40 madetherein. These openings are provided with screens 41 at their lowerends. The construction of the upper end of this modification is notshown, since it is substantially the same yas that shown in Figs. 1 and2. The operation of this modification of our machine is simi- Alar tothat described above, with the exception that the circulation of airthrough the machine is caused by the lamps 38 since the only passage foradmission of air to the machine is through the tubes 39. After leavingthese tubes, the air passes through the openings 42 in the partition 36and then between the elect-rodes 16 and 17 and up through the machine,as in the construction above described. l

In Fig. 11 a modified arrangement of'our machine is shown in which thecasing 5a is extended upward and terminates in a tube 5b supported fromthe upper end of which is an electric lamp 43 surrounded by a shade 44.The lamp 43 is dis osed over the upper end 4of the tube 5", whicconstitutes the discharge opening from the machine. This arrangement,therefore, serves the double purpose of a lamp for .illuminatingpurposes and a machine'for purifying and ozonlzlng the air. The lamp, itis to be noticed, by its disposition over the upper end of the tube 5b,serves to cause the circulation of the air through the machine and thusto increase its efficiency of operation.

In Fig. 12, wehave shown a modified form of casing, in which the casing5 is surmount-i ved by a solid band 6 with which a plurality it is notnecessary to produce any very strong fields, the arrangement indicatedin Fig'. l may be employed. In this arrangement, the electrodes 1G arereplaced by strips 4G similar in size to such electrodes, butconsist-ing only of high strength dielectric niaterial, as glass, whilethe electrodes 17 are so connected to the secondary winding 31 of thetransformer'15 that the electrodes on opposite sides of any strip i6 areof opposite potential.

The construction of the electrodes 17 serves to facilitate electricaldischarge from them, as a result of which the electrical field necessaryfor the successful operation of the machine may be readily produced andthe construction of the electrodes 1G serves to intensify the electricalfields thus produced and to maintain them as a result of the condenseraction exerted by such electrodes 16. 'In this way, the tendency of thepoints of the conducting wires 17b of the electrodes 17 to easily andreadily dissipate the electrical charge without producing the resultsdesired is overcome, and electrical fields may be producedrthat are asintense as consistent with the successful operation of the machine. Thecondenser effect described is present to a certain degree in thearrangement shown in F ig. 13, on account of the nearness of theelectrodes 17 to each other, but this construction will not permit theproduction of as intense electrical fields as will that shown anddescribed in connection with Figs. 2 and 3, since there is greaterdanger `of disruptive discharge.

While we have shown our invention in the particular embodiments hereindescribed, we do not, however, limit vourselves to these arrangementsbut desire to` claim broadly any equivalents that will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is: l

1. In av machine for -ozonizing air, the combination of a plurality ofelectrodes adapted to produce' a high tension electrical field,alternate ones of such electrodes being inclosed in a' highstrengthdielectric and the intermediate electrodes `being exposed, and astep up transformer for charging such electrodes, such transformerhaving a primary winding Wound in sections one or more of which may beconnected in circuit as desired.

2. In a machine for ozonizing air, the combination of a plurality ofelectrodes adapted to produce a high tension electrical field, alternateones of such electrodes being connected together by a common springterminal and intermediate ones of such electrodes being connectedtogether by a second common spring terminal.

3. In a machine for ozonizing air, the combination of a plurality ofelectrodes adapted to produce a high tension electrical field, alternatelones of such electrodes being connected together by a common springterminal and intermediate ones ofsuch electrodes being connectedtogether by a second common spring terminal, and a step up transformer,the secondary winding of which is connected tov such terminals.

4. In a machine for ozonizing air, the

vcombination of a' plurality of electrodes adapted to produce a hightension electrical field, alternate ones of such electrodes beingconnected together by a common spring terf minaland intermediate ones ofsuch electrodes being connected together by a second common springterminal, a step up transformer, the secondary winding of which isconnected to such terminals, and a fan for passing air through theelectrified zones produced around such electrodes.

'5. In a machine for ozonizingvair, the combination of .a plurality ofelectrodes adapted to produce a high tension electrical field, alternateones of such electrodes beingf connected together by a common springterminal and intermediate ones of 'such electrodes being connectedtogether by a second common spring terminal, Land a step up transformer,the secondary winding of which is connected to such terminals, suchtransformer having a primary winding wound in sections one or more ofwhich may be connected in circuit as desired.

6. In a machine for ozonizing air, the combination of a supportingframe-work, positive electrodes supported by said framework, each ofsaid electrodes consisting of a i strip of fabric, aplurality of Wireterminals extending outward from said strip, a ymetal backing for saidWire terminals, and'negative electrodes associated with said positiveelectrodes. Y

` 7. In a machine for ozonizing air, the combination of a base, aframework supported by the base, positive electrodes supported by theframework, high strength dielectric material interposed between suchelectrodes; each of such electrodes consisting lof a strip of fabric,avplurality of wire terminals extending outward from such strip, and ametal backing for connecting such wires, and negative electrodes carriedby said dielectric material.

8. In an ozone machine, the combination with a positive electrodecomprising a strip of fabric, conducting Wires extending from one 'faceof such strip, conducting material in'finely divided condition on theother face of the strip yin lcontact with such Wires, and

the edges of such strip, of a negative electrode, and current conductorsconnecting with said plate and negative electrode respectively. f

, 10. In an ozone producing machine, the

i combination With .a positive electrode comprising a strip of fabric,conducting staples extending through such strip, and a metallic backingfor connecting the backs of such staples together, of a negativeelectrode, and current conductors connected with said metallic backingand said negative electrode respectively.

11. -In an ozone machine, the combination with a.- positive electrodecomprising a strip of fabric, conducting staples extending through suchstrip, conducting material in finely divided condition on the other faceof the strip in contact With such staples, and a metal plate forretaining such conducting material in place, of a negative electrode,and current conductors connecting With said plate and negative electroderespectively.

12. In an ozone machine, the combination with a positive electrodecomprising a strip of fabric, conducting staples extending through suchstrip, conducting material in iinely divided condition on the other faceof the strip in contact with such staples, and a metal plate forretaining such conducting material in place, such plate folded about theedges of such strip, of a negative electrode, and current conductorsconnecting With said plate and negative electrode rcspectively.

13. In an ozone producing machine, the combination with a positiveelectrode, comprising a supporting strip, Wire bristles supported bysaid strip and extending out- `Wardly'therefrom and closely together,and

a common terminal clamped to the strip to be in electrical contact witheach of said bristles, of a negative electrode associated with saidpositive electrode.

14. In. an ozonizing machine, the combination with a positive electrode,comprising a supporting strip, wire bristles extending fronrthe frontface of' said strip closely together and parallel and extending throughsaid strip to the back thereof, and a metal strip folded about the edgesof said supporting strip having engagement *With all of said bristlesand forming a common terminal therefor, of a negative electrodeassociated with said positive electrode.

In an ozonizing machine, thc combination ofa supportingframe, parallelvertical supporting bars carried on said frame, vertical slots in saidbars, contact spring plates adjacent said slots, and electrooe unitsslidable in said slots to electrically engage with said Contact springs.

16. In an ozonizing machine, the combination of opposite supportingmembers, parallel slots in said supporting members, a terminal plate oneach supporting member having contact tongues adjacent said slots, andelectrode units slidable in said slots to electrically engage with saidcontact tongues.

17. In an ozonizing machine, the combination of opposite supportingbars, parallel slide Ways cut in said bars, electrode units adapted tobe readily slid into and out of said slideivays, a terminal on eachelectrode unit, and spring tongues on said supporting bars frietionallyengaging with the contacts of the electrode units when in the slidewayswhereby to electrically connect with said electrode units and toyieldingly lock them in the slideways. I

18. In combination, an ozonizing machine, positive electrode structureseach comprising similar halves, each half comprisin a supporting stripcarrying bristles having their points extending` parallelly in onedirection from the strip and their backs electrically connectedtogether, supporting means for supporting and holding pairs of halvesback to back to form the positive electrode structures, and negativeelectrode structures on said supporting means alternated with saidpositive electrode structures.'

19. In combination, an ozonizing machine, positive electrode units eachcomprising a supporting strip having bristles extending parallelly inone direction therefrom and having a metallic backing electricallyconnecting the bases of the bristles. electrode supporting frame-Work,said positive electrode units being arranged back to back in pairs onsaid supporting framework, and negative electrode units supported onsaid framework between said pairs of positive electrodes.

20. In combination, an ozonizing machine, positive electrode units eachcomprising a supporting strip having bristles extending parallelly fromone face thereof and having a metal backing in electrical contact withthe bases of all the bristles, supporting barshaving parallel slideways,said positive electrode units being arranged back to back in pairs, andslid into alternate slide- Ways to form positive electrode structures,and negative units engaging Iin intermediate electrode structures.

21. In combination, an ozonizing machine,

positive electrode units Ieach comprising a supporting strip havingbristles eXtending parallelly .from one face thereof and having a metalbacking in electrical vcontact with the bases of all the bristles,supporting bars having parallel slideways, said positive electrode unitsbeing arranged back to back'in pairs, and slid into alternate slidewaysto form positive electrode structures, negative units engaging inintermediate slideways for coperating with said positive electrodestructures, terminal tongues on one supporting bar adjacent thealternate slideways for electrically engaging with the metal backs ofthe positive electrode structures, and terminal tongues on the othersupporting bar adjacent the intermediate slide- Ways for electrically'engaging with the negative electrode units. i

22. In an ozonizing machine, the combination of a negative electrodecomprising a dielectric plate and a conductive plate lintimatelyassociated With said dielectric plate without the interposition of anair gap, and a positive electrode in the form of a brush having Wirebristles, said electrodes being associated' with the points of thebristles opposed to said dielectricplate but out of direct contacttherewith.

In Witness whereof, We hereunto subscribe' our names this 16th day ofJune A. D. 1909.

SAMUEL o. SHAFFNER. SAMUEL T. HUTTON.Y

Vitnesses:

ALBERT C. BELL, ROBERT F. BRACKE.

